Drilling device



Sept. 10, 1929. w. A. Ross 1,727,563

DRILLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. l0, 1929.

w. @Ross DRILLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 19327v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffm/@Mr Sept. l0, 1929. w. A. Ross 1,727,563

4 DRILLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 1927 s sheets-sheet' 3 Inf/6722907" 7775x7767@ JZ. 250,525'

@y @WAL t to 7" Rg,

Patented Sept. 10, 1929n UNITED STA-TES Pmi-:NT OFFICE- WARREN A. ROSS, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH. TO DONALD M. CARTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO TRUMAN O.

BOYD, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

DRILLING DEVICE.

Application led January 22, 1927. Serial- No. 162,719.

rlhis invention relates to drilling devices improved object of this description.

. The invention has as' a further object to provide a simple and effective construction by means of which aseries of cutters may be used and may be automatically fed to the material to be cut as they are worn away.

The invention has as a further object to provide an arrangement of cutters whereby the automatic feed of the cutters may be insured.

The invention has other objects which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring, now, to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in part section showlng one form of device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom View ofthe device shown in Fig. 1.

( F'g. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, with parts broken away, taken on linev 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken online 6-43 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view' taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a face View of a portion of the holding piece shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a viewof the upper end of onen of the cutters.V I v Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figs. 1 and.3.

Fig. 12 is a sectional-view taken on llne 12-12 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 13 is a view showing the push `memberandthe cutters separate from the other m'echanism. v i

Fig. 14 is an enlarged view, with parts broken away, showing the torque member.

Fig.' 15 is a view in part section-showing the construction of the lower end of the core barrel. y

Fig.'16 is a sectional 16f16 of Fig. 15.

view taken on line 5o K Fig.V 17 is a sectional view taken on line. and has for its object to provide a new and 17-17 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view showing one form of cutter.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view showing a different. form ,of cutter.

Fig. Q0 is a sectional view showing a further modified form 'of cutter.

Fig. E21 is a View showing a further modified form of cutter.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The present device may be used for drilling oil wells or wherever it is desiredto form an y opening. I have illustrated the invention in vconnection with an oil well drilling apparatus.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated the lower end of the rotating part or drill pipe 1 by means of which-the cutters hereinafter mentioned are rotated. Surrounding this drill pipe is a casing 2. The core barrel is provided with a shoulder 3 which engages a cutter feeding member'4. This cutter feeding member is shown separate from the' rest of the apparatus in Fig. 13 and has connected therewith, the cutters 5.

Inthe construction shown, elongated cutter bits or cuttershave their ends 6 bent as shown in Fig. 3 and the cutter feeding member 4 'is provided at its lower end with inclined slots into which these inclined ends 6 of the cutters are received. The drill pipe is rotated by any of the usual mechanismsand some suitable means is provided for insuring .the rotation of the cutters and the cutter feeding member.

As herein shown, this result is secured by providing the lower end of the drill pipe with longitudinal projections 7, (see Figs. 1, 15,

and 16). These projections are received inl member, thus permitting the cutter feeding member to be fed forward to feed the cutters to the material to be cut.

The cutters 5 work in grooves 11 in the torque member so as to be properly confined, and slide along these grooves as they are fed to the material, and so as to be rotated by the torque member.

There is a space 12 between the casing 2 and .the torque member 9 into which the cutter feeding member slides as the cutters are fed forward.

The casing 2vis connected with the torque member 9 near the bottom thereofin any suitable manner as by means of the threads 13, 'on the casing, and the threads 14 on the torque member. The torque member 9 is connected with the drill head 10 in any suitable manner as by means of the threads 15, on the torque member, and the threads 16 on the drill head. The cutters 5 pass through openings in the drill head and are projected therefrom as they are fed to the material to be acted upon.

The holes in the drill head for the cutters, are bent away from the vertical so that the cutting ends of the cutters strike the material to be cut at an angle to the vertical. This arrangement insures the proper projection and feed of the cutters at all times and prevents the cutters from being fed too rapidly and from projecting too far from the drill head.' The cutters' are flexible so that they can be thus bent.

In view ofthe diliiculty of making these holes in the drill head for the cutters, I Amay provide grooves therein and then fill up the portions of these grooves not occupied by thev cutters, with filling pieces which may be fastened to the drill head in any desired manner as by welding, brazing or the like.

I have illustrated in the drawings, certain forms of this construction. Some of the ends of the cutters will be differently positioned circumferentially from others. I have illustrated three series of these dilferently-posiy tioned ends, as shown in Fig. 2, consisting of the ends 17 near the outer edge of the drill head, also shown in Fig. 7, and the ends 18 near the inner face of the drill head, also shown'in Fig; 3, and the intermediate ends 19, also shown in Fig. 5. For the openings for the ends 17, I provide a groove 20, v(see Fig. 8), and a filling piece 21 which is pro-Y f vided 'with a groove 22 for the cutter. For

the intermediate cutter ends 19, I may prof.

vide a large groove 23 (see Fig. 6) and asmaller groove '2-1 the proper size for the cutter and then provide a filling piece 25 for the groove 23.

It will be noted that in one case, Vthe opening for the cutter is formed in the filling piece and in the other case, it is formed in the drill head itself, but in each case, the filling piece, when properly fastened in position, properly contines the cutter. The slots or openings Vfor the cutters in the lower part of the torque member are closed by a ring 26 against which abuts the casing 2, (see Figs. 1, 3, and et).

This ring 26 ,is shrunk or welded to the torque member. that they will bend when suiiicient pressure is applied to them and pass around the bent openings in the drill head. These cutters may be made flexible in various ways.

They may, for example, be made of steel, hardened and then annealed so as to soften the exterior thereof. This provides a cutter with av very hard center or core and a soft exterior surrounding the hard core. The proportion of the hard core or center to the soft exterior or outer casing will depend, of course, upon the conditionspresented.

I have illustrated in Fig. 18, a cross sec- The cutters aremade flexible so tion of one of these cutters showing the soft I -bend without breaking Vand will hold the hard core or center in position even though it should break into pieces. This permits the use ofthe hard center for cutting. and prevents the cracking or breaking of the core from interfering with the cutting effect. The cutter may be made of a Wire cable pressed into the desired shape and bound together in' any desired manner, as by a coating of lead.

In Fig. 19, I have shown a sectional view of such a cutter having the wires 5 and the binding material 5d of lead or other soft material. y The cutter may also be laminated, that is, made of several pieces 5e, held together by a binding material 5f, as shown in Fig. 20.

In 2l, I have shown a sectional view of a cutterhaving a central portion or core 5g surrounded by a coat 5h of a hard material such as chromium. In this construction, the

central portion or core is soft and the outer Y,

coating is hard. tions the cutters are flexible enough so that they may be bent at their ends as shown in Fig. I may also use any ordinary material soft enough to be thus bent but cutters of this type will not wear as long as the foregoing forms of cutters.

In my construction, the cutters are straight and are fed forward as they are worn olf at the ends, straight portions of the cutters being successively bent laterally as they are fed to the material to be. acted upon, that is, as the ends are worn od. This feeding and bending is done during the cutting process and is done automatically responsive to the wearing away of the ends of thecutters and the cutters are flexible enough to permit this bending during the feeding process. The cutting ends of the cutters are bent laterally vat l.the desired angle, such angle being such that they can beY projected only a small dis- In any of these consti'uc`,

angle isy such that the ends wear off at substantially right angles tothe body portion, as shown in F ig. 3 and-I have found that the bending of these ends to the proper angle, as the cutters arefed forward, is essential to the successful operation and successful automatic feeding of the device, and further for the prevention of a too great pro-A the like, the usual means forremoving the cuttings may be employed. For example, a removing fluid may be passed down the opening in the drill pipe and will pass up around the casing carrying with it the material cut loose by the cutters in the usual manner. It will be noted that the drilling device includes a holder with guideways adjacent the outer end thereof and elongated lcutting bits having their outer ends slidably disposed in said guideways, there being means cooperating with said guideways for feeding the bit outwardly, and simultaneously bending the outer portions thereof. It will further be noted that the openings in the drill head as shown in the drawings are bent and that the cutting bits are slidably received therein and that these openings or guideways act to bring about resistance to the sliding of the cutting bits therein, which resistance is overcome by a pressure-applying device applied to the cutting bits to cause a sliding or feeding movement of the cutting bits tofeed them to the material to be cut. When the device is used/ as a core drill, the drill head l0 is provided with a central opening to receive a corea 'lhe use and operation of my invention are as follows:

When the parts are assembled, the straight cutters are placed in position between the casing 2 and the torque member 9 being connected with the feeding member 4. The device isinserted in the hole and the pressure of the rotating part 1 forces the feeding member 4 toward the drill head 10 forcing the ends of the cutters into the passageways inthe drill head, the ends projecting a short distance therefrom.

As the device is rotated, the cutters cut away the material and are gradually worn off and the feeding device moves them along so as to successively, during't-he operation of cutting, force straight portions of the cutters into the inclined. openings in the 'drill head, thereby successively bending straight portions in said cutters laterally during the feeding process, and this continues until the feedjecting from the'drill head a short distance.

The bending of the ends of the cutters is the thing that prevents a too great projection of the cutters from the drill head. As the ends of the cutters are worn away, the feeding device moves the cutters forward so as to maintain the proper projection of the ends thereof from the drill head.

It will, therefore, be seen that this device acts like a diamond drill without the use of diamonds and by using material cutters. It Will further be seen that a great depth of the hole may be secured by one set of cutters before they become worn out thus making it unnecessary to change the cutters often.

I have found that the cutters wear oif very slowly and will last a long time and that a hole of uniform diameter may be drilled with this device. lphe angle at which the ends of the cutters are bent will depend upon the conditions present and I have found that good results are secured by an angle between 25 and 45. By means of this device, the hole drilled Can be maintained at a constant dialn- `eter as the cutter material is replaced at j ust j the same distance from the center of rotation during the full life of the cutters, that is, the wearing off and feeding of the cutters does not, in any manner, interfere with securing this constant diameter of the hole drilled.

This device, therefore, insures against the tapering of the hole.

I claim: t

1. A` drilling device comprising a rotatable member, a casing into which said rotatable member projects, a torque member -slidably connected with said rotatable member so as to rotate therewith, a drill head connected with said torque member and having passageway-'s extending therethrough, a plurality of cutters intermediate the casing and the torque member and extending into said passageways in Said drill head, a feeding member interposed between the casing and the torque member and adapted to move said cutters to cause the ends thereof to project from said drill head.

2. A drilling device comprising a rotatablev member, a casing into which said rotatable member projects, a torque member slidably connected with said rotatable member so as to rotate therewith, a drill head connected with said torque member and having passageways extending therethrough, a plurality of cutters intermediate the casing and the torque member and extending into said passageways in said drill head, a feeding member interposed between the casing and the torque member and adapted to move said cutters to cause the ends thereof to project from said drill head, the upper portions of said cutters being straight, the passageways in the drill head being bent laterally so that portions of said cutters as they are forced therein are bent at an angle to the straight portions of said cutters.

3. A drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing into which said rot-atable part slidably projects, a torque member in said casing slidably connected with said rotatable member, a plurality of cutters located between the casing and the torque member, a feeding member adapted to feed said cutters forward, means for moving said feeding device, said cutter slidably mounted in straight guideways, a drill head connected with said torque member and provided with passageways which connect with said guideways, the passagewa-ys in the drill head being bent laterally so as to bend the ends of the cutters laterally with relation to the remaining portion thereof, as the cutters are fed therein.

4. A drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing in which said rotatable part slidably projects, a torque member slidably connected with said rotatable part but rotating therewith, a feeding member between said casing and said torque member and adapted to be moved forward by said rotatable part. a series of cutters located between the casing and the torque member, said cutters having their ends removably fastened to said feeding member, said cutters sliding in straight confining guideways, a drill head connected with said torque member and casing and provided with passageways which connect with said guideways in which the cutters slide, said passageways being bent laterally at an angletosaid guideways so that they bend the ends of the cutters laterally with relation to the remaining portions thereof as the cutters are forced therein.

5. A drilling device comprising a rotat- -able part, a casing into which said part slidably projects, a torque member feathered to said rotatable part so as to slide with relation thereto,'a feeding member intermediate said casing and said torque member and adapted to be moved forward by said rotatable part, a series of cutters located between said casing and said torque member and connected with said feeding member, said torque member being provided, on its exterior, with grooves in which said cutters slide, and a drill head connected with said torque member and said casing and provided with passageways having their inner ends in alignment with said grooves, a portion of said passageways bent laterally so as to be out of alignnient with said grooves.

6. A drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing into which said part slidably projects, a torque member feathered to said rotatable part so as to slide with relation thereto, a feeding member intermediate said casing and said torque member, and adapted to be moved forward by said rotatable part, a

series of cutters located between said casing and said torque member and connected with said feeding member, said torque member being provided, on its exterior, with grooves in which said cutters slide, and a drill head cony nected with said torque member and said casing and provided with passageways having their inner ends in alignment with said grooves, a portion of said assageways bent laterally so as to be out of) alignment with said grooves, the outer walls of the grooves fin the drill head being formed by filling pieces separate from said drill head but fastened thereto.

7. A drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing into which said rotatable part slidably projects, a series of cutters on the interior of the casing, guideways in which said cutters near the cutting ends thereof as i they are fed forward to feed them to the material. v

9. A drilling device comprising a series of flexible cutters straight for a portion of their length, a confining device therefor from which the ends of the cutters are projected as they are worn in cutting the material, and means for successively bending straight portions of said cutters laterally while they aie being fed forward to the material to be cut.

10. A drilling device comprising a series of cutters, said cutters each consisting'of hard material and soft material arranged so that the cutters may be bent while being used, guideways in which said cutters are slidably disposed having portions thereof out of alignment with other portions thereof, and means co-operating with said guideways for feeding said cutters outwardly and simultaneously bending them.

' 11. A drilling device including a holder with a guideway adjacent the outer end thereof, an elongated cutting bit having its outer end slidably disposed in said guideway, and means cooperating with said guideway for feeding said bit outwardly and simultaneousy Cil cutting bits having their outer ends slidably disposed in said guideways, and means cooperating with said guideways for feeding said cutting bits outwardly and simultaneously bending the outer portions thereof.

15. A drilling device including an elongated cutting bit, afholder with a guideway adja-v cent to the outer end thereof in which said cutting bit is slidably received and which acts to bring about resistance to the sliding of said cutting bit therein, and a pressureapplying device for automatically applying pressure to said cutting bit during the operation thereof, to overcome the resistance to its sliding movement in said guideivay, to automatically feed the cutting bit to the material to be out.

16. A core drilling device including` an elongated cutting bit, a holder therefor having'a central opening to receive a core and provided with a guideway adjacent the outer end thereof in which said cutting bit isuslidably received and which acts to bring about resistance to the sliding of said cutting bit therein, and a pressure-applying device for automatically applying pressure to said cutting bit during the operation thereof, to overcome the resistance to its sliding movement4 in said guideway to automatically feed the cutting bit to the material to be cut.

17. A drilling device including a. series of elongated cutting bits, a holder with a series of guideivays adjacent the outer ends thereof in which s aid cutting bits are slidably. re'- ceived and which act to bring about resistance to the sliding of said cutting bits therein, and a pressure-applying device for automatically applying pressure to said cutting bits during the operation thereof, to overcome the 'resistance to their sliding movement in said guideways to automatically feed the cutting bits to the material to be cut.

18. A core drilling device including a series of elongated :cutting bits, a holder having a central opening to receive a core and being provided with a series of guideways adjacent the outer ends thereof in which said cutting bits are slidably received and which act to bring about resistance to the sliding of said cutting hits therein, and a ressure-applying device for automatical y applying pressure to said cutting bits during t e operation thereof, to overcome the resistance to their sliding movement in said guideways to automatically feed the cutting bits t0 the material to be cut.'

19. A drilling device including a drill pipe, a series of cutting bits operativley connected with said drill' pipe, a drill head, confining means for said cutting bits throughout that port-ion of their length above said drill head` said drill head being provided with openings intoy which portions of said vcutting bits are received and which act to produce aresistance to the forward feeding movements of said cutting bits, and a pressure-applying device for automatically applying pressure to said cutting bits during the operation thereof, to overcome said resistance due to said openings and automatically feed said cut-ters to the material to be cut.

20. A core drilling device including a drill pipe, a series of cutting bits operatively connected with said drill pipe, a drill head, having a central opening to receive a core, confining means for said cutting bits throughoutthat portion of their length abovesaid drill head, said drill head being provided with openings into which portions of said cutting bits aie received and which act to produce a resistance to the forward feeding movements .ofsaid cutting bits, and a pressure-applying device for automatically 'applying pressure to said cutting bits during the operation thereof, to overcome said resistance due to said openings, and automatically feed said cutters to the material to lbe cut.

21. A core drilling device comprising a rotatable member, a casing into which said rotatable member projects, a torque `member slidably connected with said rotatable member yso as to rotate therewith, a drill head having a central opening to receive a.' core connected with said torque member and having passageways extending therethrough, a plurality of cutters intermediate the casing and the torque member and extending into said passageways "in said drill head, a feeding member interposed between the casing and the torque member` and adapted to move said cutters to cause the ends thereof to project. from said drill head.

22. A core drilling device comprising a rotatable member, a casing into which said rotatable member projects, a torque member slidably connected with said rotatable member so as to rotate therewith, a drill head having a central opening to receive a core connected with said torque member and having passageways extending therethrough, a plurality of cutters intermediate the casing and the torque member and extending into said passageways in `said drill head, a feeding member interposed between the casing and the torque member and adapted to move said cutters to cause the ends thereof to project Afrom said drill head, the upper portions of said cutters being strai ht, the passageways in the drill head being ent laterally so that portions of said cutters as they are forced therein are bent at an angletothe straight portions of said cutters.

23. A core drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing into which said rotatable part slidably projects, a torque member vin said casing slidably connected with said rotatable member, a plurality of cutters located between the casing and the torque member, a feedingmember adapted to feed said cutters forward, means for moving said feeding device, said cutters slidably mounted in straight guideways, a drill head having a central opening to receive a core connected with said torque member and provided with passageways which connect with said guideways, the passageways in the drill head being bent laterally so as to bend the ends of the cutters laterally with relation to the remaining portion thereof, as the cutters are fed therem.

24. A core drilling device comprising a r0- tatable part, a casing in which said rotatable part slidably projects, a torque member slidably connected with said rotatable part but rotating therewith, a feeding member between said casing and said torque member and adapted to be moved forward by said rotatable part, a series of cutters located between the casing and the torque member, said cutwith relation to the remaining portions thereof as the cutters are forced therein.

25. A core drilling device comprising a rotatable part, a casing into which said part slidably projects, a torque member feathered to said rotatable part so as to slide with relation thereto, a feeding member intermedi,- ate said casing and saidtorque member and adapted to be moved forward by said rotatable part, a series of cutters located between said casing and said torque member andv connected with said feeding member, said torque member being provided, on its exterior, with grooves in which said cutters slide, and a drill head connected with said torque member and said casing and provided with passageways having their inner ends in alignment with said grooves, a portion of said passageways bent laterally so as to be out of alignment with said grooves.

26. A drilling device comprising a movable member having a series of guideways, elongated cutting bits slidably disposed in said guideways, a feeding member provided with a series of receiving spaces'for said cutting bits and by means of which the cutting bits are attached to the feeding member, the position of the cutting bits being controlled by said feeding member.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 20th day of January,

WARREN A. ROSS. 

